Death and Misadventure in Boston, July and August 1837, 1845

The Boston Police Deparment Crime Blog covers present day Boston, but when you need historic crime information, who are you going to come to? 

From the Boston Almanac for 1838:

26 July 1837

Lauriat made another ascension [balloon] from East Boston.  He descended on Point Shirley.  He did not reach a very great height.

Daniel J. Barnard arrested for forging a check on the Merchant's Bank for $493.  He sent a little boy to the bank with the check, and waited in the street for the boy to return.  The boy did return, but instead of bringing the dollars, brought a constable and the teller of the bank down upon him.

29 July 1837

The workmen resume their labors on the South Cove Hotel, near the Worcester Rail Road Depot [near present day South Station].  The work had been suspended since last fall.

30 July 1837

An alarm of fire to-day; the first since the dissolution of the old Fire Department, July 20.

31 July 1837

Three or four young men arrested for endeavoring to create a disturbance while the new fire companies were proceeding to the fire.  One named Winship was fined $10 and costs, and committed for want of sureties in the sum of $50, to keep the peace.

A lad of 10 years old, son of Mr. Timothy D. Stearns of Hanover Street resuscitated from drowning after he had been under water over 4 minutes.  He was rescued by a young man named James Dolliver.

From the Boston Almanac for 1846:

28 July 1845

Orders were issued by the Mayor and Aldermen, forbidding the sale of intoxicating drinks on the Sabbath.

30 July 1845 

The Cambria arrived--having left Liverpool at 45 minutes past 11 o'lcok, on the 19th, and got into dock at 5 this morning,--making the shortest western passage acros the Atlantic ever known, about 11 days.  This is 20 hours shorter than the quickest passage of the Hibernia, which arrived Sept. 1, 1844.

On Wednesday night last, watchmen were attracted to an entry of a house on Commercial Street, opposite Lewis' Wharf, by groans.  They discovered a man of between 55 and 60, who had been badly wounded on the head.--Being taken to Chelsea Hospital, he died.  It was ascertained by the Coroner that his name was John Peterson, recently returned from sea.  He had two sever wounds on the head and a fracture of the skull.  He had been robbed also, it was subsequently ascertained, of about $20.

Edward Dillon, a boy of 11 years, was killed at the Providence Depot, by being run over by a train of freight cars.   He was running by the side of them, as they were slowly moving, and finally jumped for the purpose of getting on to ride, but fell off. and the wheels passed over his hands and head, which were shockingly crushed.

1 August 1845

Capt. Hewitt left yesterday in the Brittania, with a full mail and 42 passengers.

A lady standing at the corner of Tremont Street and Pemberton Square, waiting for a carriage, had her foot smashed and two toes completely crushed off, by the wheel of  a carriage striking the curb-stone, with her foot between.

The Weymouth Stage was standing near the track of the Worcester Railroad depot, and as the locomotive passed, the horses becoming restless, backed upon the rails, and being struck by the engine, was upset.  Mr. Lewis Holmes, of Weymouth, on the driver's seat was thrown off and instantly killed.  One or two ladies, inside, escaped injury almost miraculously.

Judge Sprague sentenced Capt. Flowery, convicted of having fitted out the Spitfire, with an intention of employing her in the slave strade, to five years imprisonment in the Salem jail, and a fine of $2000.